Coin operated vending machine



Dec. 30, 1958 c. FAZEKAS 2,866,578

com OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V E N TOR flaws 5 5251 45 Wax ATTORNEYE Dec. 30, 1958 Filed Nov. 28, 1955 C.FAZEKAS COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY5 United States Patent 'O COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Charles Fazekas, Charlotte, N. C., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Taylor Biscuit Company, Raleigh, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Application November 28, 1955, Serial N 0. 549,452

8 Claims. (Cl. 221260) This invention relates to coin operated vending machines and more particularly relates to a dispensing mechanism for coin operated vending machines. 7

In my copending application Serial No. 496,147, filed I March 23, 1955, for Coin Operated Vending Machine,

I disclosed a coin and dispensing mechanism for a vending machine utilizing an ejector arm on the coin mechanism for dispensing the articles to be sold. Whereas the operation of this machine has been found to be generally satisfactory, in certain instances it is possible for an operator to so manipulate the operating lever as to withdraw a plurality of articles from the machine without inserting a coin for each article.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism for vending machines which prevents the dispensing of more than one article per coin inserted into the coin mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism for vending machines utilizing a rotatable shelf assembly which accomplishes the dispensing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism for vending machines utilizing a first rotatable shelf having a second arcuate shelf attached thereto.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism for vending machines utilizing a rotatable shelf actuated by the ejector arm of the coin mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description and claims and appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine having a plurality of coin mechanisms attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rotatable shelf assembly of the invention mounted in a chute in the vending machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical elevation showing the rotatable shelf assembly in an article supporting position;

Figure 4 is a vertical elevation showing the rotatable shelf assembly in a position ready to dispense an article;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rotatable shelf assembly; and

Figure 6 is a vertical elevation showing the rotatable shelf assembly mounted in a chute for articles to be vended.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing there is shown a vending machine 10 having the external casing removed to expose the article chutes 12 through 22 and also disclosing the coin mechanisms 24 through 34 which control the dispensing of articles from each individual chute. The coin mechanisms 24 through 34 are of the type disclosed in my aforementioned copending application .and are provided with operating levers 36 and ejector arms 38 pivoted about a supporting spindle 37 as best seen in Figure 3. As is more particularly described in my aforementioned copending application, as the operating lever 36 is pulled to the right in Figure 1 or to the left in Figure 2,866,578 Patented Dec. so, 1958 2 3, the ejector arm 38 moves to the leftin Figure 3, provided that a coin of the proper denomination has been previously dropped into the coin mechanism.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, each chute has a back wall 40 and a pair of side walls 42 and 44. The back wall 40 is provided with an elongated slot 46 through which the ejector arm 38 of the coin mechanism extends. A dispensing shelf assembly, shown generally at 48, is pivotally mounted within the chute by means of a shaft 50 secured in the side walls 42 and 44 by means of a pair of retaining rings 52. The dispensing shelf assembly consists of a first fiat shelf 54 having depending arms 56 and 58 at the ends thereof. The arms 56 and 58 are apertured at 60 and 62 to receive the shaft 50 mounted in the side walls 42 and 44 of the chute.

An L-shaped bracket having an upper portion 60 and a depending portion 62 is attached to the underside of the first flat shelf 54 by any suitable means, such as spot welding, and is provided with an elongated aperture 64 which receives a stud 66 mounted in a slot 68 in the ejector arm 38. The stud 66 is secured in position by means of a pair of washers 70 and 72 and a retaining ring 74, as is best seen in Figure 6.

A raised arcuate shelf 76 having a lesser width than the flat shelf 54 is attached to the flat shelf 54 by means of an offset 78 and has a radius of curvature centered upon the apertures 60 and 62 in the depending arms 56 and 58 of the fiat shelf 54. Attached to the upper surface of the arcuate shelf 76 by means of rivets 80 is a leaf spring 82 having a downwardly curled front edge 84. The

, leaf spring 82 is bent adjacent the rivets 80 so as to be normally upstanding from the arcuate shelf 76 as is best seen in Figure 3.

When the dispensing shelf assembly 48 is in its normal position, as shown in Figure 3, the rolled edge 84 of leaf spring 82 engages a rolled spring member 86 attached to a cross member 88, which is provided with a curled upper edge 90 for attachment to the casing of the vending machine. When the mechanism is in this at rest position the articles to be dispensed 92, 94 and 96, which may constitute bags of peanuts or other commodities, are stacked above the leaf spring 82 and rest thereof. The rolled edge 84 of the leaf spring 82 bears against the spring member '86 to close the bottom of the chute. The rear wall 40 of the chute terminates at 98 just above the riveted end of the leaf spring 82 as may best be seen in Figure 3.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: When a coin is inserted into the coin mechanism and the operating lever 36 is pulled to the left, as seen in Figure 3, the ejector arm 38 moves to the left and by means of the stud 66 pulls the dispensing shelf assembly 48 to the left to cause it to rotate about the shaft 50 in a counterclockwise direction. The lower edge 98 of the back chute wall 40 forces the leaf spring 82 downward as the arcuate shelf 76 moves to the left and allows the bottom article 92 to drop to the position shown in Figure 4. The lower article 92 at that time rests upon the flat shelf 54 and the curled end 84 of the leaf spring 82 is adjacent the rear of the article.

When the operator releases the operating lever 36, the ejector arm 38 moves to the right in Figure 3, thereupon rotating the dispensing shelf assembly 48 clockwise to drop the article 92 off of the flat shelf 54. During this motion the leaf spring 82 rises above the left edge of the article 92 in Figure 4 and passes beneath the bottom of the article 94 to hold that article as the lowermost article 92 drops into the delivery passage. The curled edge 84 of the leaf spring 82 contacts the left most edge of the lowermost article 92 and tends to help that article in a clockwise direction to cause it to drop into the delivery passage.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have disclosedan improved dispensing mechanism for coin actuated vending machines which insures that only one article is dispensed per coin inserted into the coin mechanism. This device is simple in nature, low in cost, and may be attached toexisting machines utilizing the coin actuator and ejectormechanism disclosed in my eopending application Serial No. 496,147 mentioned-hereinbefore.

The invention may lye-embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit 'or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment istherefore to be considered in all-respects as-illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which-come within the meaning and ranged equivalency ofthe claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured byUnited States Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispensing mechanism for dispensing stacked articles from a chute through a delivery opening, a rotatable shelf assembly having a first shelf and a second arcuate shelf attached thereto, a leaf spring attached at one edge to said arcuate shelf, a first wall insaidchute terminating just above said arcuate shelf, a second wall in said chute opposite said first wall and terminating just above said delivery opening, said, shelf assemblyhaving an at rest position where the free edge of said leaf spring is above said arcuate shelf and adjacent the lower edge of said second wall, and a dispense position where said leaf spring is depressed by the lower edge of said first wall so that its free edge is adjacent, said arcuate shelf, and means for rotating said shelf assembly from said at rest position to said dispense position and back to said at rest position.

2. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein the lower edge of-said first wall is spaced from the center of rotation of said shelf assembly by a lesser distance than the lower edge of said second wall.

3. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein said free edge of said leaf spring is spaced from the axis of rotation of said shelf assembly a greater distance when said assembly is in said at rest position than when said assembly is in said dispense position.

4. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 including arms depending from said first shelf, said arms being pivotally connected to the walls of said chute.

5. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said shelf assembly is a coin mechanlsm.

6. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein said arcuate shelf is of a lesser width than said first shelf and is offset therefrom at the point of attachment thereto.

7. Amechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein said leaf spring is attached to said arcuate shelf at the edge of said arcuate shelf distal of its attachment to said first shelf.

8. A mechanism as set out in claim 1 wherein said shelf assembly is rotatably mounted on a shaft within said chute.

ReferencesCited in thefile of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,914 Smith .Jan. 15, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 130,111 Great Britain July 28, 19 19 

